Nonrigid airship



April 7, 1931. K. BAucH ET AL NONRIGID AIRSHIP Filed Sept. 25. 1929 nvcnoz Kur Bauch 3 PAM Helma s The principal object of the invent-ion is to y Patented Apr. 7, 1931 N -UNiTED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE KURT .'BAUCH AND PAUL HELMA, 0F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIG-NORS TOGOODYEAR-ZEP- :BELIN CORPORATION, OF AKRON,.OHIO,`A CORPORATION OF DEI-AWARE` NONRIGID AIRSHIIP Application inea september ze, 192s. serial No. 395,371. y

`This invention relates to non-rigid airships, and it has particular relation to the suspension of pilot cars or gondolas from the envelopes of non-rigid airships.

provide a non-rigid airship in which the envelope and the pilot car or engine car are so constructed as to offer the minimum air resistance.

le `Another object of the invention is to pro vide connections between the envelope and pilot car that are not exposed to the airstream for sustaining the weight of the pilot car, as well as stabilizing it against lateral or longitudinal movement.

In non-rigid airships of the type previously constructed, pilot cars for carrying passengers and engines were suspended at considerable distance from the airship enve- 21S' lope by means of relatively long and numerous cables which were connected to patches at various locations along the outer surface of the envelope. Suspensioncables of such length and number offered excessive air re-` sistance, and the car and envelope were capa ble of excessive relative movement. Moreover, handling of the airship at the ground involved considerable diihculty and inconveni ence.

2U According to this invention the car is sei cured directly7 to the lower portion of the envelope of a non-rigid airship in an opening therein and is provided with connections direct-ly to the edges defining the opening to prevent relative movement between the envelope and the car. Also, suspension cables for sustaining the weight of the car are connected directly to the upper inner portion of the envelope by means of one or m'ore catenary curtains. Thus the airship is a compact Figure 2 is a plan View of the bottom of a car connected to the airship envelope; and Figure 3 an end elevational View of the construction shown by Figure 2.

In practicing the invention, a non-rigid airsliip envelope 10 is provided with a car 11 and a conventional type of air ballonet 12 for compensating for contraction and expansion of the gas in the envelope. Atthe lower portion of the envelope an openingl is cut in the forni of catenaries having inwardly projecting angular portions 16 to which a plurality of" laterally inwardly extending con-` `necting elements 17, such as short cables or straps, are secured.` A framework 18 of the pilot car is also connected to the elements 17, as indicated at 19. It will be observed that a plurality of `the elements 17 extend from eachconnecting point 19 and are distributed among a plurality of the angularconnecting portions 16. The edge portions of the envelope dening the opening 15 are prefei` ably reinforced by elements 20, such as fabric or cables,

One or more rows of catenaries 22 secured longitudinally of the upper inner portion of the envelope are provided with a plurality of cables 23 and 24 which radiate from the ends 25 and 26, respectively, of a plurality of cables 27, that in turn extend through the ballonet 12 and are connected to the pilot car.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that by employing connecting elcments, such as those described, the upper framework of the pilot car is securely mounted against the lower side of the envelope and is prevented from shifting with respect thereto while the load or Weight is suspended from the upper portion of the envelope. The width of the car is such that it will be prevented froni tilting with reference to the lower portion of the envelope. Longitudinal or transversely directed forces to which the pilot car may be subjected are transmitted directly into the envelope without the aid of exterior suspension cables. This arrangement greatly simplifies the construction of non-rigid airships and facilitates the navigation thereof.

Although we have illustrated only one form which the inventionA may assume and have described that form in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art,V that the invention is not so limited, but'that various' modifications may be made therein without departingllfrom the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is p 10 l.. A non-rigid airship 'comprising an envelope, eatenaries disposed about the lower portion of the envelope, a ear connected along the catenaries directly against the lower portion of the envelope, suspension ele- 15 ments extending upwardly from the ear, and means for connecting the upper portion of the suspension elements inside the envelope.

2. A non-rigid airship Comprising an envelope provided with an opening defining 2G catenaries, a ear covering vthe'J opening, means for connecting thecar to the catenaries', and vmeans for connecting .the ear y,to the upper innerportion ofthe envelope.A 3.A non-rigid airship comprising an en- 25 velope provided with anopening in the lower portion thereoithe edges of the venvelope defining the opening being in `the form of p Catenariest aear, connecting Ineans 'disposed laterally .about the ear and secured along 50 theedgesofthje portion of `the lenvelope forming the eatenaries, and suepensionmeans conneo'tedto the upper innerportion ofthe envelope and to the upper portion of the car 35. lnj witness .'Whereot'-, wehave hereunto signed our naines. Y Y' 1 Y Y KURT -BACH PAUL HELMA. 

